As much as I enjoy Osaka, staying in Takarazuka is always a nice respite and makes the journey to the course the next day a little shorter. The Takarazuka course is one of three courses Taiheiyo Club owns in the Kansai region and is a layout that I really enjoy and one that I highly recommend.

The official opening of the new Yachiyo course took place on April 4th 2020 which saw a fantastic reception from both members and guests. It was such a success that members are now flocking to the Yachiyo property to play both midweek and weekends.

Sano is a city in the southwest of Tochigi Prefecture which is almost directly　north of Tokyo. Taiheiyo Clubs property sits exactly 100km from the center of Tokyo and is very easily accessible by car or helicopter. Sano city is well known for its Ramen and lesser-known as Japan’s home of cricket. It is however fast becoming known as the destination of the Taiheiyo Clubs Sano Hillcrest course.

The Rokko course is the Taiheiyo Clubs’ flagship course in the Kansai region. This course is a true championship venue that has held tournaments on both the men and women’s professional tours in Japan. It is also the current site of the Maruhan Cup, a popular event on the Japanese men’s senior tour.

Opened in 1999 and designed by Gary Player the Taiheiyo Narita course lives up to all the hype that should accompany a course designed by a grand slam winner. Player has designed over 300 courses worldwide but interestingly was never able to gain a foothold in Japan. The Taiheiyo course is a testament to great design and Player’s mandate of building a course to test all levels was achieved.

In the last few years, I have witnessed a renaissance. The revival of an article of golf clothing may seem trivial to some but the history and its importance in the game of golf cannot be denied. The spark was created by the CEO and President of Taiheiyo Club, Mr. Shun Han, who has modernized and made cool again a revered garment from a golfers wardrobe of decades past.

Konan is a faders paradise. Seven of the eighteen-hole layout will fit the eye of the right-handed player who moves the ball left to right through the air. Only the short Par 5 15th requires a tee shot that moves a little in the opposite direction. The course is gently undulating with only one club difference at most in elevation making Konan a very comfortable walk.

A Shinkansen ride of just over an hour from Tokyo Station will have you arriving at one of the most beautiful areas in Japan. Karuizawa is well known for its cool summers and cold winters and acts predominantly as an upmarket mountain resort and summer retreat for wealthy Tokyoites. Karuizawa is a wonderful destination for outdoor types and personally, I think one of the best kept secrets in Japan for the traveling golfer.

Taiheiyo Club Gotemba West course is quite simply a gem. Some twelve years after Shunsuke Kato designed the Taiheiyo Gotemba course, this beauty opened its gates. “Gotemba Lite” is the best way to describe the course as it cuts through the same beautiful Japanese cedars and sits just a few hundred yards away from its older and more famous sibling.

If you are traveling to Japan and playing golf, both Taiheiyo Club courses in Gotemba should be at the top of your list. The Gotemba West property has a newly renovated, 23 room boutique hotel that is the perfect location to stay while playing both courses. One of the questions I am often asked is to suggest the best mode of transport to get to Gotemba so I decided to share all of the options.

You know those very quiet courses you play where you can hear the ball fizz through the air from a well-struck shot? Well Taiheiyo Clubs Mashiko PGA course is one of those. The combination of the still air amongst the dense canopy of trees and the lack of traffic noise provides an atmosphere of isolation.

Upon entering the Minori gates it is immediately apparent that you are somewhere quite special. The heavily tree-lined driveway gives an occasional glimpse of the course which will be enough to increase your anticipation.